Low-Cost Porous Ruthenium Layer Deposited on Nickel Foam as a Highly Active Universal-pH Electrocatalyst for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

Low-cost and high-efficiency electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are a key constituent of a low-carbon industrial economy based on intermittent energy production in the near future. A facile wet-chemistry strategy has been developed for the synthesis of a porous Ru layer deposited onto Ni foam (NF) as a competitive candidate for HER over the whole pH range, especially under economical alkaline conditions. The catalyst shows outstanding HER performance, which stems from the porosity of the Ru layer, the electronic structure of the electrode, and the charge transfer between the NF and the Ru layer, which gives rise to the strong activity of the Ru layer in the HER process. Moreover, the Ru loading was as low as approximately 1.1 wt %, representing significant potential for application in cost-effective HER.